by Murat Karul
Las Vegas Aces’ guard, Riquna Williams, has been removed from the team following her recent arrest on Tuesday for felony domestic violence charges, as announced by the WNBA franchise on Wednesday.
The charges against Williams are quite serious, including three felony counts of strangulation, one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, one felony count of coercion, and four misdemeanor counts of domestic battery. The arrest stems from a series of incidents that allegedly occurred over an extended period of time. However, the identity of the alleged victim has not been disclosed.
Appearing before Justice of the Peace Rebecca Saxe on Wednesday, Williams was granted release on her own recognizance. Nevertheless, she has been required to undergo alcohol monitoring and mental health counseling. Furthermore, she is prohibited from any contact with her alleged victim until her court appearance scheduled for August 2.
The Las Vegas Aces expressed their stance on domestic violence, firmly condemning any such behavior. Consequently, they have suspended Williams from participating in team activities. The team is currently gathering more information about the incident and refrains from making further comments until they have a clearer understanding of the situation.
The WNBA is also aware of the alleged incident and is actively seeking additional information to assess the matter thoroughly.
Notably, Williams has not played in the current season due to a lower back injury. A former second-round draft pick by the Tulsa Shock in 2012, she has had a fruitful career with averages of 10.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 turnovers in 253 games over ten seasons, playing for the Shock (2012-2015), Los Angeles Sparks (2017-2020), and Aces (2021-present).
It is essential to note that this is not the first time Williams has faced such allegations. In 2019, during her tenure with the Sparks, she was suspended by the WNBA for ten games following a domestic violence incident involving a former girlfriend in her hometown of Florida. The felony charges from that incident were eventually dismissed in 2020.
During the court proceedings, both Justice Saxe and Ryan Bashor, Williams’ public defender, confirmed that she has no prior criminal convictions.
Riquna Williams has had an impressive basketball career, earning recognition as a member of the league’s 2012 All-Rookie team, the 2013 Sixth Woman of the Year with the Shock, and a 2015 All-Star. Additionally, she was a part of the championship-winning Aces team in 2022. However, her recent legal troubles have overshadowed her athletic achievements and put her future in the WNBA in jeopardy.
